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Friday, 23 March 2012

Nanny State

Yesterday, March 22nd 2012, saw Chancellor George Osbourne, publicly announce the Budget, with so many people holding their great hoping to survive the coming months under a new budget.

But once again, the government are trying to make us live our lives in the way they want, strengthening the old Nanny State comments.

We all know as adults, the damage smoking does to our health and drinking excessive alcohol, we also know or have been told that driving our vehicles is destroying the planet via pollution. We now live in a society where education is a priority, information is easily accessible and long gone are the days where adverts we plastered all over our TV's telling us how cool it was to smoke or drink. So I think it is a pretty safe assumption to say that 98% of UK citizens are decently educated and awear of the implications surrounding these activities.

Taking all this into consideration, shouldn't it be our decisions as appropriately aged adults to drink alcohol and smoke. If we know the risk and are quite happy with the risks, then why should someone else step in and be allowed to prevent us from doing this. Of course the government are not stopping us per say, but they are making it incredibly difficult to do these things and drive cars which happens to be a fundamental necessity for the majority of the working nation.

Obviously there is the subject of the NHS under strain from people who smoke and drink vast quantities of Alcohol, however there are two sides to this argument as well. If you are a TAX paying citizen of the UK, and you fall ill as a result of smoking or excess drinking then you should be entitled to care, regardless of what has made you ill, as a UK citizen paying TAX you can't dictate the terms of how your TAX is spent. On the other hand, if you are someone who has been on state benefits all your life and not paid into the system and you are taken ill from any of the above related illnesses, then the NHS should have the right to refuse care. I think this should be made known and so people who don't work for whatever reason can make an adult decision as to whether or not smoking or excess drinking is a risk they should be taking.

As for the fuel prices, the government here in the UK and other countries are pricing us off the roads, but still not improving public transport to a sufficient standard i.e time keeping, over crowding, safety, unclean transportation etc. It is becoming the case here in the UK that unless you work from home or within walking distance from your home, quite a high percentage of your wage is going on just getting you to and from work. I have 3 young children and the environment is a very important issue in our house, but there are things that people simply need and vehicles is one of them.

The Government have added 37p to every packet of cigarettes, a pint of beer will rise by as much as 10p per pint, since 2008 beer has risen by 40%. They are also talking of capping a set sum on alcohol per unit, this is in an attempt to cut out binge drinking. From the budget buy one get one free offers will also not be allowed or similar deals, the government are trying to eradicate the stay at home drinker, it won't be long before it is illegal to smoke in your own home.

Petrol is currently at an average of 139.67p (£1.39) a litre and Diesel 146.39p (£1.46), including VAT, fuel is to rise as much as 3.62 (3 pence) a litre. So for a 50- litre vehicle you will be paying an extra £1.81 at the pumps, all in all quite a hike. This will have a knock on effect right across the board, food will rise in price due to transportation fuel cost's, Road Side Services such as the AA and RAC will have no option but to increase membership and so many other areas will be forced to do the same or close up shop.

I'd love to know what you think of the budget and how it will effect you, or if you are from a different country what is the current economic situation like where live and is the government pushing a way of life upon you via out pricing you?

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